CMS: Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
The Centers for Medicare& Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking comments on the following information collections: 1) ADA Dental Claim Form; and 2) Machine Readable Data for Provider Network and Prescription Formulary Content for FFM QHPs. Comments are due by April 26, 2024. (Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center - March 27, 2024 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

VA: Methodology for Reimbursing Medical Services, Extended Care Services, Pharmaceuticals, and Durable Medical Equipment Not on Medicare Fee Schedules
Notice from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) making changes to rates contained within the VA fee schedule, which is used as part of the rate structure for certain agreements the VA uses to purchase community care under the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP). This notice also describes the VA's use of non-reimbursable codes and industry-standard business practices to ensure consistent adjudication of claims for services deemed non-billable or non-reimbursable. These changes are effective March 27, 2024. (Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center - March 27, 2024 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

Public Inspection: CMS: Medicaid Program: Streamlining the Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program, and Basic Health Program Application, Eligibility Determination, Enrollment, and Renewal Processes
Pre-publication notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare& Medicaid Services (CMS) making changes to simplify the eligibility and enrollment processes in Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Basic Health Program. This rule aligns enrollment and renewal requirements for most individuals in Medicaid; creates timeliness requirements for redeterminations of eligibility; makes transitions between programs easier; eliminates access barriers for children enrolled in CHIP by prohibiting premium lock-out periods, benefit limitations, and waiting periods; and modernizes recordkeeping requirement...
Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center - March 27, 2024 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

CMS: Announcement of the Advisory Panel on Outreach and Education (APOE) In-Person Meeting
The Centers for Medicare& Medicaid Services (CMS) Advisory Panel on Outreach and Education (APOE) will hold an in-person public meeting on April 18, 2024, from 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Eastern. Presentations and written comments must be submitted to thedesignated federal official by April 4, 2024. Agenda items include remarks from CMS leadership; a recap of the February 2024 meeting; a discussion of CMS programs, initiatives, and priorities; and more.Registration is required. (Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center - March 26, 2024 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

HHS: Meetings of the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will hold a virtual public meeting of the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (PACCARB) on May 21-22, 2024. The PACCARB advises and provides information and recommendations to the Secretary of HHS regarding programs and policies intended to reduce or combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria that may present a public health threat. The confirmed times, agenda, and information on how to register and provide public comment during the meeting will be published on thePACCARB website. (Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center - March 25, 2024 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

Census Bureau: Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; The American Community Survey (ACS) and Puerto Rico Community Survey (PRCS)
The U.S. Census Bureau is providing an additional 30 days for comments on proposed revisions to the American Community Survey (ACS) and Puerto Rico Community Survey. Changes cover household roster, educational attainment, health insurance coverage, disability, and labor force questions. Comments are due within 30 days of this notice. (Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center - March 25, 2024 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

VA: Revised VA Tribal Consultation Policy and Directive 8603
Notice from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) seeking comments on updates to its policy and directive on VA Tribal Consultation. VA has gathered and reviewed tribal input and recommendations from previous requests for comments, tribal consultation meetings, and the VA's Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs and proposes several edits to the Tribal Consultation Policy in response to the tribal recommendations. Comments are due by April 22, 2024. (Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center - March 22, 2024 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

CMS: Medicare Program; Application by the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission (URAC) for Continued CMS Approval of Its Home Infusion Therapy (HIT) Accreditation Program
Announcement from the Centers for Medicare& Medicaid Services (CMS) of the approval of the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission (URAC) as a national accrediting organization providing home infusion therapy services that wish to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs. The approval is effective March 27, 2024, through March 27, 2030. (Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center - March 22, 2024 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

FDA: Revocation of Six Authorizations of Emergency Use of In Vitro Diagnostic Device for Detection and/or Diagnosis of COVID-19; Availability
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revoked 6 Emergency Use Authorizations issued to Life Technologies Corp.; Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.; Revvity, Inc.; bioM érieux SA; and Luminex Corp. related to COVID-19 detection and diagnosis tests. (Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center - March 21, 2024 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

EOP: Advancing Women's Health Research and Innovation
Executive Order from the Office of the President to advance and integrate women's health across the Federal research portfolio. Directs agency members of the White House Initiative on Women's Health Research – Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Director of the National Science Foundation – to develop or strengthen research and data standard s that enhance the study of women's health across all relevant, federally funded research and other federal funding oppor...
Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center - March 21, 2024 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

IHS: Native Public Health Resilience
The Indian Health Service (IHS) is accepting applications for grants for Native Public Health Resilience. The purpose of this program is to build on and strengthen community resilience by supporting wider access to the 10 Essential Public Health Services (EPHS)  within established public health programs serving American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. Applications are due by May 14, 2024. (Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center - March 20, 2024 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

IHS: Native Public Health Resilience Planning
The Indian Health Service (IHS) is accepting applications for grants for Native Public Health Resilience. The purpose of this program is to assist applicants to establish goals and performance measures, assess their current management capacity, and determine if developing a Public Health program is practicable. Specifically, programs should assess the availability and feasibility of the 10 Essential Public Health Services (EPHS). Applications are due by May 14, 2024. (Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center - March 20, 2024 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

HHS: National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics
The National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS) will hold a virtual public meeting on April 11-12, 2024. Agenda items include discussions on the 2024 workplan and briefings and discussions with invited experts on several health data policy topics, including standards for social determinants of health data elements, possible implications of value based care models versus fee-for-service on HIPAA standards, an overview of the key elements of the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) published by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) in November 2023, and exploration of pri...
Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center - March 19, 2024 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

RHS: Section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program Change in Priority Projects Criteria
Notice of final rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing Service (RHS) amending the current regulation for the Multifamily Family Housing (MFH) Section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP). These changes are designed to provide RHS with flexibility in its decision-making to fully address these evolving priorities in housing market demands without regulatory changes to the priority-points scoring criteria and improve the customer experience with more timely and proactive responses to housing market demands without frequent regulatory changes. This rule is effective April 18, 2024. (So...
Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center - March 19, 2024 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

SAMHSA: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is seeking comments on revisions to the Minority AIDS Initiative (MAI) monitoring tools. Revisions include the inclusion of new cohorts, substantial revisions to the youth and adult questionnaires, updates to the data used to estimate response rates and expected numbers of participants by service duration. Comments are due by May 20, 2024. (Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center - March 19, 2024 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news